Through a collaboration with the TechnoGirl Trust, IMCD South Africa offers young girls mentorship and real-world experience in STEM careers.
In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, IMCD South Africa is proud to join forces with Barbie and the TechnoGirl Trust to provide underprivileged girls with invaluable career exposure in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This collaboration aligns with the Barbie Dream Gap Project, a global initiative focused on closing the gender gap that begins in early childhood.
As part of this partnership, two young women from disadvantaged backgrounds have been selected to participate in a four-year skills development and job shadowing programme, hosted by IMCD South Africa. These young women, currently in Grade 9, will receive mentorship and hands-on experience from female professionals in various departments within IMCD, including food technology, quality assurance, packaging engineering, and more.
Linda Segalla | Business Unit Manager of IMCD Food & Nutrition
Linda expressed the significance of this initiative: “We find that when these girls come in, they get very excited, learning about the different careers and opportunities that otherwise, they don’t receive exposure to. By the time they leave, a lot of them want to move into a science field and learn how to create and develop products – it’s really impactful.”
Xoliswa Felicity Dube | Internal Sales Administrator at IMCD South Africa
As a past participant of the TechnoGirl programme, Xoliswa shared her personal experience: “The work readiness aspect of the programme was the most impactful for me. I learned soft skills, such as how to articulate myself in a work environment. Barbie empowers girls to dream big, but it’s important that they actively pursue those dreams and ask for help when needed.”
Through this initiative, IMCD South Africa continues to foster innovation and inclusion, helping to bridge the gender gap in STEM. By providing real-world opportunities and mentorship, the company hopes to inspire these young women to shape their own futures and, one day, contribute to IMCD’s ongoing journey of driving positive change through innovation and entrepreneurship.
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